This morning at breakfast i was having a steaming bowl of congee with minced pork and century egg- my favourite. I can't believe they make people on fear factor eat century egg. But the history of this unique egg taste was that they use to preserve these in horse piss and leave it to ferment before eating it. Do you eat that T? I love 皮蛋, isn't it funny that the literal translation is 'skin egg'. wonder if human skin tastes like that.

A conversation with my mother went like this

Mom: When are you finding a boyfriend? You're not getting any younger...

Me: oh, when I have time and after my career gets going.

Mom: I wonder how much drowry you can fetch me?

Me: What?! I thought we did without drowries in this day and age for the chinese!

Mom: Oh, just wondering aloud. Must be worth more, cos you have a university degree, a great job and you speak many langauges. It's like how Kobe beef is sold much more than your average cow from malaysia.

Me: but i am not an animal on a farm waiting to be slaughtered and exported!

Mom: oh just an example lah.

(Me finishing up breakfast trying to maintain my cool.)

Me: well, i dont think u'll be fetching a drowry since you wont be matchmaking me to sell off.

i know she means well, but it's funny how her mind works.

this is what we call a generation leap, not a gap.

Apart from 13 hour workdays, I spent the weekend working on my own projects doing things 'for fun' which my colleagues consider a waste of time. Saturday is one of my best friend's birthday. He's a fellow canadian writer and we met in the creative writing department at Fabrica and became best of friends almost immediately. Since he doesnt know of this blog- as yet, I can safely announce that im sewing a puppet caricature of him. i'm not halfway through and need to go to the art store to buy more felt colours over the weekend for some cool design for his 't-shirt'. i hope he'll like it.

Yesterday, i managed to slip into borders before closing hour and had a short browse through horoscope books (yes i am a sucker for horoscopes, tarot reading, palm reading and fortune telling). The year of the pig which we will welcome this Lunar new year- in 3 weeks, is said to bring me great developments in career (i really hope so) and apparently a love life as well. The latter I'm not bothered, but i really hope for an exciting year in terms of work, whether it's here or where i'm dreaming of heading at the moment.

This weekend, i worked on some new stories for my chinese idiom project. An italian publisher has expressed interest in an unfinished project i had proposed in italy, so it's been late nights of work after work as i churn out more writings for an american art director, alex purdy, who is illustrating for my stories.

My mother is going insane with Chinese new year round the corner, but i am mighty pleased as she bought me new 'Hello kitty' pjyamas that will only see light of day while I'm still single (how unattractive at 25!) and I've got new doraemon bed sheets in green! (my favourite colour) i will post a photo on the eve of the new year's to share my wonderful new stuff as it's forbidden to open them before the eve!

T: do your parents obsess about the new year's? My parents are very traditional and i still have to sleep with two oranges and one dollar coins wrapped in red paper at the head of my bed, wearing my new pjs and sleeping on my new bedsheets. we do that every year.

Now, at 25 without having teenage angst and visions of trying to be 'cool', i actually really like the explanations and stories behind everything. Like how every red packet from my parents will contain an extra 10 cent coin, in cantonese we say 'chut tao' or in mandarin :'chu tou', meaning to rise ahead, or literally to have your head out. Metaphorically meaning to get a headstart in everything we do- be it in our studies or career.

I tailored made some new clothes in vietnam while i was there last month; i know i will pay the price for my vanity by requesting an extra high collared qipao (traditional chinese dress) for the maggie cheungesque effect à la Wong ka wai's 'In the mood for love' when i have to wear that to go visiting for the entire day.

But well, i think vanity isn't a bad thing. it's an effective demonstration of self love and oh so many women suffer for it.

It's the weekend and I'm trying to work doubly hard on my own projects since I've been caught up in 14 hour work days and I get home too exhausted to think about doing anymore work.

There is the BBC short story competition and the commonwealth short story for 2007 and a video i would like to make. So many ideas filtering throughout the day and it just impossibly frustrating not to be able to execute them. For once, I had the luxury to sleep in till noon today, got up, read, and did some writing.

I'm nursing a nagging migrain that came about with the insane workload at work.

I've always loved my own space and doing everything alone, especially travelling; but these days, i have been hit by bouts of loneliness. Now, tell me, am i missing something?

I am exhausted and shall attempt to watch some dvds before bed now.

hope u're having a great weekend T!

xoxo

Don't you hate it when u can never rememebr ur password to these things....

Juliana - i hope you are ok...you're right u hear about crime in the Uk and USA but Singapore - man you shocked me too... But think no one got hurt in the process and its all material stuff - that how we see it now in Europe.

I went to Milan with my boyfriend in Nov and he got his suitcase knicked off the bus right at the start of the holiday - so u can imagine what a dampener it put on out first trip together - no clothes, no camera and no underwear....not good.

I've had someone who attempted to mug me in London and i was screaming "help" and guess what no one ran to my rescue - there was a couple at the end of the road who just stood and watched. I managed to fend him off and when igot up and walked to the end of the road - the couple asked "are you ok?" I am like "no that bastard tried to mug me" and their reply was "o i thought u were having an argument or playfighting with your boyfriend!" i was like "well why would i scream Help then" and their response was "next time u scream FIRE" the bloody cheek of it. I can tell you i was scared shitless and it made me very cautious of travelling to town on my own.

I am at work - temping as a receptionist at the moment - man life sucks - i am not doing anything challenging - its killing my brain cells.

Take care,

Tx

This is what the slogan reads for a community ad against crime. Today was a dreadful day. My office got burglared over the weekend, the theives taking with them a loot of 3 brand new macbooks, a g5 monitor, thumbdrives with confidential files and our client's prototypes. it was a nightmare. I am still traumatised and in shock, things like this don't happen in Singapore. As my icelandic friend who visited last week commented "u know the book brave new world? your country is exactly like the utopia he described." And really, her description isn't so far off.

Judging from the way the police had handled the matter- very inexperiencedly of course. And my years of watching CSI told me they could do much better. However, such crimes are uncommon here in my country and I suppose the police don't know any better how to handle such situations.

I am currently reading some interesting books: 2 chinese contemporary fiction "A thousand years of good prayers by Li yi yun", " The picador book of contemporary chinese fiction" and "ugly" by constance briscoe. My bad habit of reading many books simultaneously and the inevitable moments of plot mix-ups. In a way, it makes it alot more exciting, but I am guilty of not giving the writers the respect they deserve.

All 3 are wonderful so far. And what's on the shelf for you so far, teresa?

Sorry this post is a little random. It's been raining all day the past week and today was a real trauma. I was upset when i had to deal with such siutations in italy, but somehow here in singapore, i never could imagine it happening.

well, once bitten twice shy. i wont take safety for granted in this country anymore.

Hello Teresa! Welcome. Hope u feel better. I am also nursing an 'upper respiratory tract infection' that i caught in vietnam, though i must say a trip to the vietnamese hospital was an eye opener (they were afraid i contracted birdflu) . I think going to prison or the hospital of any country is a bonus experience; that way you really see how the country functions, in times of dire need or some sort of organisation.

I have been to cambodia; I spent 6 weeks in the village working with the children in a village in phnom penh, teaching english through speech and drama when i quit my first job. That was an amazing experience and of course i made the mandatory visit to siem reap to see the fabled Angkor Wat.

In a way, im envious of your lifestyle, but it's lovely to have dreams and believe in them. Unfortunately, in practical materialistic Asia, you just get laughed at and discouraged. And i empathise, i live in candy cane nation where girls usually don't go beyond UK size 6. I am struggling with my weight issues having lived blissfully and carefreely in italy the last year enjoying the best cuisine.

LOL 'gawi mui'. My brother works in hongkong and loves it there. Infact he works alot less than he does in Singapore. I got used to being called a 'lao wai' (foreigner in mandarin) while i was in china working on an editorial project doing interviews and translations for colors magazine.

In many ways, i lust for the western models of democracy and liberation, yet at the same time, I'd retain all of my conservative asian values. I hope to begin my new life in china in a matter of time. Chinese contemporary art, for one, i find very inspiring, very conceptual, tongue in cheek and so so clever. Considering their cultural and historical baggage, they've really come a long way and i would love the opportunity to live and work there and be part of their 'progression'. As my italian friend commented 'asia is the new gold mine. everyone wants to go to asia these days.' i can't agree more with him.

In the meantime, I'll lie still and work a job I don't mind doing and continue with my own non commerical writing projects. My practical self tells me i have to work for money if i were to enjoy certain things in life.

Back to work, after skiving for un petit moment.

Hey hey this is my 1st blog....
Merry christmas everyone...i can't believe i have actually agreed to writing a blog because i hate writing ...or rather i am rubbish at it. I've never been one to write a diary so this is completely new to me. First let me apologise for my poor English and grammar.

So how have u all spent ur Xmas? loads of turkey? Well mine was spent with my head over the toilet bowl...no I wasn't sick from alcohol but had a bout of food poisoning - at one point i thought my stomach was gonna pop out - not nice at all - but i can safely say i have fully recovered.

Let me tell you a bit about myself...i am a BBC no not the tv station but a British Born Chinese who lives in London. Spent 5 years of my life working in HK after graduating from Uni and all i can say is that i wish i came home early. Everyone is so materialistic out there. Did my head in. Currently i freelance in TV - trying to make it as a TV presenter or host (depending which country you're from) also work in TV production. Its a tough old world as you never know when you are in or out of a job. Get fed up of people asking me "when am i gonna get a proper job?" To tell you the truth - I've had tonnes of proper jobs and i get bored of them too easily. I can't think of anything worse then sitting behind a desk all day doing the same job over and over and over again...you get my point? Of course i would like a steady income but I guess you can't have eveything.

Christmas in the UK is pretty boring - nothing is open and tv is sh*t. Hopefully 2007 will be nice and bright and a whole lot better.

Wishing you all a fantastic 2007...may you all get everything you wish for.

Love Tx

Yo yo yo...

For some strange reason i can't read my 1st blog...am I a blog looney??? actually don't answer that question.

Well i have pretty much had 3 weeks off - not intentionally mind you but its the nature of being a freelance and trying to break into the media world. Its tough, so many people want to do it and so few jobs.

Juliana, you're right... i had the whole identity crisis thing going on when i worked in HK for 5 years...chinese poeple regarded me as a "gwai mui" and westerners saw me as a chinese girl...so i pretty much ended up with no friends ...cue the music. Ok i am exaggerating a bit ...but did feel slightly isolated. Sometimes I wished i wasn;t so stubborn and came home earlier but i wanted to prove a point. I chose to go to HK to work after Uni as i really wanted to become a HK actress...only to find that when i went there it was mega materialistic and unless you are a beauty pagent queen you're not gonna get anywhere...another thing is all the girls are tiny ...no t*ts or a*se and chinese poeple are not shy about telling you to your face that you are FAT...so damn rude.

I love travelling and have been to Vietnam. So many countries to see in the world and so little money. You're so lucky to have a good job. You see, i can;t do an office job and my only passion is TV/Film, but its so damn difficult. Everyone asks me why i still do it as i am forever poor. But i say i would rather be poor and content then rich and bored sh*tless.

I would recommend Cambodia for a holiday destination, its a beautiful country and i had a whale of a time.

Currently i am snuggled up in bed with a hot lemsip. I've managed to get a cold over the weekend. I blame my boyfriend for passing it on to me. But thank god i am a girl as if i was a bloke i am sure i will be whinging 50 times more then i am now.

Its cold here but overall its been a pretty mild winter.

Hope you're having a nice day back at work...dont work too hard.

Tx

It's the second week at work and I'm just trying to get back into routine and the swing of things, more late nights and impossible deadlines. However, if I didn't have the job, I wouldn't have the finances to do any travelling- the thing I love doing most.

This year, I've decided to learn a new language, Spanish and learn to Salsa, which might be a mean feat as I have two left feet and absolutely no sense of coordination. Nonetheless, I'm up for new challenges.

I hope you're having a more exciting time in the UK Teresa as your job scope sounds alot more exciting than my churning out run of the mill ad campaigns and direct mailers.

Have a good week everyone!

The past few days have been scorching hot which is surprising for the monsoon season.

Apologies to the late start on blogging. I had been in Vietnam backpacking for the last 2 weeks, mainly because I really needed to detox from routine.

I spent christmas in a valley of Sapa, the north of vietnam, getting drunk on home made rice wine and learning how to count and sing Black Hmong (ethnic minority) songs from my guide. And a new year's eve was spent in Hanoi with a bunch of revellers from everywhere. We don't celebrate christmas at home and it's merely a commercial affair and another excuse to party, so I took off on the 20th december for some adventures in vietnam.

So, I'm a copywriter, born and bred in Singapore. I turn 26 in about 3months (yikes!). I majored in theatre and european literature, am proficient in french and speak italian badly. I just returned from a year stint in Italy at Fabrica, Benetton's Research and Communication centre. I was awarded a scholarship in the creative writing department where I was very fortunate to meet other young creatives from the world over and collaborate on all sorts of projects; stuffing my face with the most delicious italian cuisine, working it all off by biking through the countryside everyday.

New year resolutions? None. Though I am considering a move to shanghai. I feel in a strangely awkward position
given how China is growing, I speak mandarin as well as the dialect cantonese. I am a western educated individual brought up with pendantic values. Do you share the same displacement, teresa? I did a google on your name (oh the power of internet!) and found a bbc video clip of you hosting the programme. it's brilliant!

Happy new year to all!

Love from rainy monsoon singapore.